tires BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

Contents

9

Driving:

Ignition lock65
Starting the engine and driving
off66
Switching off the engine68
Parking brake68
Manual transmission69
Sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic*70
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher75
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*76
Cruise control77

Everything under control:

Odometer79
Tachometer79
Engine oil temperature79
Fuel gauge80
Engine coolant temperature
gauge80
Service interval display81
Check Control81
Clock82
Computer83

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*85
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC86
Flat Tire Monitor87
M Engine dynamics control90
Brake force display90

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams91
Instrument lighting92
High beams/Standing lamps92
Fog lamps93
Interior lamps93
Reading lamps93

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control96

Interior conveniences:

Glove compartment101
Storage compartments101
Cellular phone*102
Ashtray, front*103
Ashtray, rear*103

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*104
Cargo loading106
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*108

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures112
General driving notes113
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)114
Brake system114
Hardtop*115

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure118
Tire condition118
Tire replacement119
Wheel and tire
combinations121
Winter tires122
Snow chains*122

In the engine compartment:

Hood123
Engine compartment
essentials124
Washer fluids126
Engine oil126
Coolant128
Brake fluid129

Maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System130

Laws and regulations:

California Proposition 65
warning132
OBD interface socket132

Controls and features

25
Close the gas cap carefully after
refueling until a click is heard.
While closing, be sure not to squeeze
the strap which is fastened to the cap.
A loose or missing cap will activate the
CHECK GAS CAP* lamp.<
Fuel tank capacity>Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
>approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve
capacity.
Do not drive to the last drop of
fuel. This can prevent the engine
from operating properly and result in
damage.<
Fuel specificationsThe engine uses lead-free gasoline
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
min. 91 AKI.
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Never use leaded fuel, as it would
cause permanent and irreversible
damage to the oxygen sensor and the
catalytic converter.<
Tire inflation pressureChecking tire pressuresTire pressures in psi/kilopascal are
shown on the driver's door post and are
visible when the door is open.
Only check the tire inflation pressures
of cold tires. This means after driving a
maximum of 1.25 miles/2 km or after
the vehicle has been parked for at least
2 hours. Warm tires have higher infla-
tion pressures.
In the following tire inflation pressure
table, all pressures are specified in the
standard units of pressure, psi and kilo-
pascal, and apply to cold tires, i.e. tires
at ambient temperature.
After correcting the tire inflation pres-
sure, reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor so
that it can monitor the tire inflation
pressure, refer to page 87.
Refueling
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

26
Check the tire pressures on a reg-
ular basis – at least twice a month
– and before every extended journey. If
this is not done, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability and tire
damage, ultimately resulting in acci-
dents.<
Comply with tire approval
specificationsThe inflation pressures in the table
apply to BMW-approved tire sizes and
tire manufacturers. Your BMW center
will be glad to supply this information.
Other pressures may be required for
tires made by other manufacturers.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
which not only meet US standards, but
also European standards. We recom-
mend the exclusive use of BMW
approved tires.Tire inflation pressure

27
BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires –
cold = ambient temperature
225/45 ZR 18 33/230 – 41/280 –
255/40 ZR 18 – 35/240 – 48/330
M3 225/40 ZR 19 33/230 – 41/280 –
255/35 ZR 19 – 35/240 – 48/330
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S 33/230 38/260 36/250 46/320
225/40 R 18 92 V M+S 36/250 38/260 39/270 51/350Tire inflation pressure
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

87
To deactivate the systemPress the button; the indicator lamp
comes on and stays on.
The vehicle does not execute the stabil-
ity-enhancement and traction-control
functions when DSC is deactivated.
We recommend that you deactivate the
system for increased traction:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving with snow chains
>When driving on snow-covered
grades, in deep snow, or on a snow-
covered surface that has been
packed down from being driven on.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the system
switched on whenever possible.<
To reactivate the systemPress the button again; the indicator
lamp goes out.
Flat Tire MonitorThe conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires. The system alerts you whenever
the inflation pressure of a tire falls sig-
nificantly below the pressure of another
tire.
Controlling the tire pressure is based
on monitoring the rpm that the tires
have relative to each other. A flat tire is
detected and reported because the rpm
suddenly deviate drastically from one
another.Functional requirementsIn order for the Flat Tire Monitor to learn
the correct tire inflation pressure,
please do the following:
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all tires
2. Compare them with the tire inflation
pressure table on page 25 and cor-
rect them, if necessary
3. Initialize the system.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

88
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro-
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors and does not detect
the balanced and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all four tires
over an extended period of time.<
On the other hand, the following situa-
tions can lead to a delayed detection of
pressure loss and even to the system
not functioning:
>Driving on snow-covered or slippery
roads
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at
the drive wheels, high levels of lateral
acceleration
>When driving with snow chains, false
warnings and undetected pressure
losses may occur.
Initializing the system
Each time you correct the pres-
sure in a tire, or change a wheel or
tire, reinitialize the system immediately
afterwards. This requires a bit of driv-
ing.<
1. Before driving off, start the engine
but do not start driving
2. Press the button as long as you need
to until the yellow indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up for a
few seconds
3. Drive off.
It takes a few minutes before the Flat
Tire Monitor can detect a flat tire and
issue a warning.
When driving with snow chains,
do not initialize the system.<
Flat Tire Monitor

106
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so
that the permitted load on the tires
is not exceeded. Overloading can lead
to overheating and internal tire damage.
This can result in a sudden loss of tire
inflation pressure.<
Determining the maximum load1. Locate the following statement on
your vehicle's placard*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or YYY lbs., as this
could otherwise result in damage to the
vehicle or unstable driving conditions.<
2. Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or YYY pounds
4. The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount
equals 1,400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lbs. passengers in your vehi-
cle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
fered to your vehicle. Consult the
manual for transporting a trailer to
determine how this may reduce the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.

112Special operating instructions
Break-in proceduresTo ensure that your vehicle continues to
provide maximum economy throughout
an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the
following instructions.
Because of its engineering design,
the BMW M3 Convertible is an
especially high-quality vehicle. It is in
your best interest to follow the break-in
tips very closely. Doing this, you will
create the basis for a long, optimum
service life.The first 1,250 miles/2,000 km: drive
at varying engine and road speeds,
but do not exceed the following
engine or road speeds:
5,500 rpm or 105 mph / 170 km/h.
Always obey all official speed limits.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal to
the full-throttle position.
Vehicles with SMG Drivelogic, refer to
page 70: refrain from using driving pro-
gram 6 in the sequential mode during
the break-in period.
>Following the break-in inspection at
1,250 miles/2,000 km, you can grad-
ually increase engine or road speeds.
Please remember to observe the same
break-in procedures if either the engine
or the differential should have to be
replaced later in the course of the vehi-
cle's service life.TiresOwing to technical factors associated
with their manufacture, tires do not
achieve their full traction potential until
an initial break-in period has elapsed.
We thus ask you to drive with extra care
during the first 200 miles/300 km.
Always obey all official speed limits.
When the vehicle is operated on
wet or slushy roads, a wedge of
water may form between the tire and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as hydroplaning, and can
lead to partial or complete loss of trac-
tion, vehicle control and braking effec-
tiveness. Reduce your speed on wet
roads.<
Brake systemApprox. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimal pad-surface and
wear patterns required for trouble-free
operation and an extended service life
later on.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly
when coasting to a standstill – at a traf-
fic signal, for instance; use caution to
avoid posing a danger to other road
users.
You can prevent corrosion in the drums
by periodically repeating this proce-
dure.
The brake lamps do not come on
when the parking brake is set.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the
vehicle with the engine off – when tow-
ing, for example – substantially higher
levels of pedal force will be required to
brake the vehicle.<

113
ClutchThe clutch will also begin to function
optimally after about 300 miles/500 km.
Drive cautiously during this break-in
period and do not press the clutch or
shift at high engine speeds.
General driving notes
Brakes: do not drive with your foot
resting on the brake pedal. Even
light but consistent pedal pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear
and possibly even brake failure.
Hydroplaning: when driving on wet or
slushy roads, reduce vehicle speed. If
you do not, a wedge of water may form
between the tires and the road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as
hydroplaning, and can lead to partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle con-
trol and braking effectiveness.
Driving through water: do not drive
through water on the road if it is deeper
than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at walk-
ing speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's
engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Portable phone in the vehicleBMW recommends using mobile com-
munications devices, e.g. portable
phones, inside the vehicle with a suit-
able outside antenna. Otherwise, it can-
not be ruled out that the vehicle elec-
tronics and portable phone may
interfere with each other.
Break-in procedures
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

118Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressureInformation for your safetyThe factory-approved tires are matched
to your vehicle and have been selected
to provide optimum safety and driving
comfort when used properly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and – above all else
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure.
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is
a frequent cause of tire damage. It
also significantly influences the road-
holding ability of your BMW. Check tire
inflation pressures on a regular basis,
refer to page 25, at least every two
weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. If this is not done, incorrect tire
pressures can cause driving instability
and tire damage, ultimately resulting in
accidents.<
Tire conditionTire tread – tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though
the legally specified minimum tread
depth is only 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with
only small amounts of water on the
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.